scholarly journals Barriers to Technology use in Large and Small School Districts

10.28945/3596 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 577-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory M Francom

Barriers to effective technology integration come in several different categories, including access to technology tools and resources, technology training and support, administrative support, time to plan and prepare for technology integration, and beliefs about the importance and usefulness of technology tools and resources. This study used survey research to compare reported barriers to technology use in smaller school districts and communities to those in larger school districts and communities. This study also sought to determine other district and classroom factors that could influence barriers to technology integration. The population for this study was current public K-12 teachers in a rural North Midwestern state. Findings indicated that teachers in smaller districts and communities reported more access to technology tools and resources and higher administrative support for the use of technology than did teachers in larger districts and communities. By contrast, teachers in larger districts and communities reported higher time to plan and prepare for technology integration.

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-274
Author(s):  
Thomas Edelberg

Current research on computer technology integration in K–12 school classrooms indicates that student learning outcomes remain flat despite heavy investment. Examining school leadership conceptions about technology integration might reveal a way to reverse this trend. This study adapts a survey instrument from Brush and Bannon and applies it to Indiana school district superintendents. Key findings indicate respondents perceive developing technology goals and plans for a school district, providing instructional support, and integrating technology into a core curriculum are very important for instructional technology leadership, but educational experiences and credentials are less important. However, respondents from school districts with smaller student enrollments and who report having little or no knowledge of instructional technology tend to view educational experiences and credentials more highly than respondents from larger schools and who report being very knowledgeable. Implications are that superintendents tend to emphasize the technology-use aspect of instructional technology leadership over instructional proficiencies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-302
Author(s):  
Esther Charlotte Moon

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how changes in K-12 educational delivery methods in the USA impacts students as 1:1 device programs become a required tool for learning. This change produces gaps in knowledge and understanding of the digital environment and exposes minors to risk. Mandatory technology integration by school districts places the ethical responsibility on school districts to prepare students to use the digital environment to mitigate risk. Design/methodology/approach The author’s literature review focused on the impact of personal device integration in education on students. The author surveyed teachers in the district on what they perceived as risk to students accessing the digital environment and what they believe creates value in digital citizenship instructional content. The author also gathered information while serving on the school district technology steering committee and digital citizenship working group. Findings Mandatory 1:1 device programs used for learning provide unlimited access to the digital environment. This technology integration creates digital knowledge gaps in understanding among students and exposes them to risk or dangers such as loss of privacy, psychological harms and engaging in or being a victim of illegal online activities. School districts are responsible for providing a remedy to close this gap and mitigate risk by developing learning content resources for teachers. Social implications As 1:1 device programs continue to grow in school districts in the USA, it is essential for students to learn to apply protocols and understand norms of the digital world. Providing a digital citizenship curriculum in a format such as a Google Site will offer educators access to instructional content that teaches students to apply protocols, understand norms of the internet and social media and foster critical thinking to analyze power structures, biases and recognize manipulation online. Student must learn how to apply rules that challenge assumptions behind the digital content they see, and they must be able to identify and resolve digital practices and behaviors that are problematic, so they are prepared to participate in a digital society. Originality/value This perspective may be relevant to school districts contemplating personal device integration, providing insight into how 1:1 device use impacts students and develops an ethical position for creating digital citizenship resources for teachers.


Author(s):  
Karen Cadiero-Kaplan

This chapter focuses on the pedagogy necessary in critically considering technology development for K-12 teachers and their students’. Three key questions frame this analysis: First, what literacies are necessary in the learning and use of technology? Second, what methods or processes are most effective in developing and implementing such technological literacy? Third, how do teachers best develop skills in using computers which ultimately ensure the development of skills and knowledge for students in classrooms? The chapter will illustrate, through the author’s work in professional development settings, pedagogical techniques and strategies that have been implemented successfully in building capacity among new and experienced teachers in using technology for lesson planning, teaching enhancement, and portfolio development. Finally, Pailliotet and Mosenthal’s (2000) four “I’s” of media literacy—identity, intermediality, issues, and innovations—are utilized to analyze the case studies and provide a framework for implementing student-centered processes for technology use and literacy development.


2018 ◽  
pp. 471-484
Author(s):  
Vicki Donne ◽  
Mary A. Hansen

Business educators face the challenge of operationalizing the global converging initiatives of technology integration and inclusion of students with a disability in K-12 education. A survey of business educators was conducted to ascertain how they were implementing these initiatives in the United States. Results indicated that business educators received little training and felt moderately prepared to teach students with a disability. Inclusion occurred in all courses taught and some differentiated instructional activities and assessments were utilized. Findings indicated additional training in the use of technology and assistive technology are needed.


Author(s):  
Nicholas C. Wilson

This chapter explores two critical areas essential to the implementation of next generation tools in formal learning settings: (1) persistent barriers to technology integration in schools and (2) supporting student agency through different forms of participation in technology and digital media activities. Concerns that the educational digital divide has evolved into an issue of equitable participation in producer-level technology-mediated activities have underscored the need to identify new barriers to integration and student engagement. While persistent barriers to integration continue to impact the frequency and purpose of technology use in the classroom, a re-centering of focus on agency and its relationship to students' identity development underscores the need to understand how the next generation of tools and technologies can be harnessed to overcome social and educational inequities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Jolly Jones

As technology becomes ubiquitous in society, there is increasing momentum to incorporate it into education. Montessori education is not immune to this push for technology integration. This qualitative study investigates four Upper Elementary Montessori teachers’ attitudes toward technology and technology integration in a public school setting. Interviews and observations were used to understand the teachers’ thoughts and actions regarding technology in the classroom. Both the school context and teacher background played important roles in teachers’ beliefs and actions. Teachers in this study expressed positive views of technology in general, exhibiting high technology efficacy and valuing the development of technology skills in their students. However, all four teachers struggled to include instructional technology in ways that are consistent with a Montessori paradigm. Although individual student use of adaptive tutoring software was the most common use of technology, the teachers varied greatly in both the amount of student time spent on computers and the roles that technology played in their classrooms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 662-663
Author(s):  
Sarah Hubner ◽  
Akankshya Chataut ◽  
Marcia Shade ◽  
Ann Fruhling ◽  
Natalie Manley ◽  
...  

Abstract Remaining community-dwelling is a goal for most aging adults; however, this may necessitate assistance from caregivers. To reduce burden and improve adult autonomy, recent technological advancements have provided various supports. These advancements may improve quality of life (QOL) while also enhancing psychological/physical well-being for adults and caregivers. To investigate relationships between technology, QOL, and caregiver burden, needs assessments with focus groups were utilized. Four older adult focus groups (N=20) and three caregiver focus groups (N=12) were convened. Older adult participants, aged 64-83 years (M=73.1,SD=5.3), were 50% female and generally white (90%). Caregiver participants, aged 31-78 years (M=61.9,SD=12.6), were majority female (83%) and generally white (92%). Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, focus groups were conducted via Zoom video-conferencing. Thematic analyses revealed major themes of privacy, transportation, and interest in streamlined technologies. Throughout groups, privacy was consistently described; participants were either 1) apathetic, noting absence of privacy or 2) hyper-vigilant about security, citing privacy as a major barrier to utilization. Transportation, specifically self-driving/enhanced vehicles, emerged as a focus for future technologies as a means to reduce care burden and improve personal autonomy/QOL. In general, participants noted that major barriers to technology use included complexity and cost; persons expressed interest in simpler/cheaper devices. This study indicates varied interest in technology while exposing barriers to use. Additionally, the methodology demonstrates the utility of technology (e.g., Zoom) in accessing vulnerable and/or isolated populations. Overall, understanding barriers to technology use and adoption informs upcoming developments and may improve accessibility and usefulness in future systems/devices.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Sorensen

Technology integration has had a profound effect on K-12 education with research yielding positive results in student learning. Most research to date has been conducted in face-to-face settings. With the growth of online K-12 learning, an opportunity exists to examine technology use in the “new” K-12 classroom. The aim of this research was to investigate the potential relationships between specific technology and subject area and grade level and why online K-12 teachers use technology in their online classrooms. Results suggest that in an online K-12 learning environment, relationships may exist between what technology is used and the subject area and/or grade level it is used in.


Author(s):  
Michael M. Grant ◽  
Clif Mims

Calls for increased use of technology in early childhood and primary classrooms have not gone unanswered. However, recent research findings report little technology integration with computers continuing to be unavailable. This descriptive study looked to explore to what extent and in what ways technology is integrated into early childhood and primary classrooms. Findings corroborate previous dated research that trivial technology is being used. Technology use, computer access and styles of pedagogy remain critical in the debate to whether teachers will integrate computers for teaching and learning.


Author(s):  
Sara Dexter

The Educational Technology Integration and Implementation Principles (eTIPs) are six statements that describe the K-12 classroom and school-level conditions under which the use of technology will be most effective. The eTIPs are an example of materials that can aid teachers in designing instruction and participating in creating supportive conditions for technology supported classroom instruction.


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